Cloth shearing machine



June 8,1943. l -wN. HADLEY 2,321,482

CLOTH SHEA'R'INQ MACHINE l Filedmme 1A., 1941 A s sheets-sheet 2 June 8, 1943. w, N. HADLEY y 2,321,482

CLOTH SHEARING MACHINE A Filed June 14, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet W/LFRED N /ApLEy afm/e. l gi@ spalle.

Patented June 8, 'i943 paires stares sereni" carries CLOTH SHEARING LMACHIN E Wilfred N. Hadley, Springfield, Vt., .assignor to Parks and Woolson Machine Company, Springfield, Vt., a corporation Application June '14, 1941, Serial No. 398,033v

26 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to rcloth-shearing lmachines vutilizing .rotary shearing blades coacting with stationary ledger blades to shear the pro .truding bres at the surface of the cloth to a Vuniform level of extent. For this purpose, the -cloth is run rapidly through the machine :and past the shearing devices in flat and open relation, the cloth being supported in close proximity .to these coacting blades `by means of a rest solidly supporting the cloth at the shearing point, the

spacing between this restand the vshearing blades being adjustable to -suit the thickness of the lcloth and the degree .of shearing desired, and in practically all cases being so close that the Jincrease in thickness of the traveling web -occasioned by the practice of joining one pieceo-r-cut of cloth to the succeeding piece will result in cutting and damaging the cloth or injuring .the shearing blade if allowed to enter this narrow provide means for automatically increasing :this

spacing either by lifting the knives or lowering -:the rest to remove the cloth rom the .range of the blades at the vicinity of the seam.

Obviously, it is desirable to reduce the length vof cloth thus skipped by the knives, and hence unshorn, to the smallest .possible extent, andat i the same time to make sure that the seam is untouched by the knives. Onacco-untof the rapidity of travel of the cloth and the unavoidable time-lag in separating the blades from the Yrest or vice versa, a mechanical problem is raised which has not yet been solved by prior structures in a manner obviating .all room for further improvement. in certain widely used seam-protecting devices of this sort, the increase in thickness of the web at the seam, purposely amplified sometimes bystitching with thick thread, yhas been relied on to detect the approach of the seam and correspondingly to Vlift vthe blades or drop vthe rest; but this method of operation causes the devices to respond also to knots, slubs,bunches,

-or Iother accidental lthickem'i'igs or .protrusi0ns, 'thus needlessly suspending the shearing. Further, this false initiation ci the cycle of thus suspending the shearing had the serious drawbackV `in many instances 'of rendering the machine incapableof respondingto rthe actual appro'achand passage .of the seam itself when such occurred While this cycle was inprogress, with the result v that the shearing was resumed vjust in time to :involve the seam and cause the very :injury guarded against at such length.

With theobject of avoiding these .andother drawbacks in the prior devices, and :of zcproviding.

To prevent this injury, it is common to a .new .and improved method and apparatus for use in .single `and multiple cloth shearing machines yfor .protecting :the seams `and the knives 'from injury, which shall be simpler .to build andy to adjust and'surer in its operation, the .present invention iis :contrived vto utilize vthe novel principle .of :transmitting .a detecting or .actuating impulse .through the cloth .or through thepath thereof as .the end of the piece .of cloth or any given intermediate point therein passes by the detecting point. Thisnovel principle admits of being utilized :ina number of different ways', including the method 0f interrupting .the-continuity of the traveling web '.betweensuccessive pieces of cloth long enough .toletiam'echanical feeler mem- .ber reach throughthe planeof travel-of :thecloth to transmit a mechanical for electrical impulse to suitable receiving yelements so 4as to actuate the :blade-'lifting .or rest-dropping means, as well as .the `.method of yattaching to the cloth or inserting in the cloth at lthe seam joining Isuccessive pieces or at any other desired )point an element which will perform the same transmitting lfunction while being o'fvsuchla .nature as not to injure the knives as `it '.p'a'ssesQthe latter.v

A preferred form 'employ-ingthe rst-cf the two methods :just .recited comprises :fine 4wire .feeler members continuously pressi-ng .against .onesurface of :the .cloth Awhere `'the other surface Lof -the latter Ais supported by platen `or roll-of metal,

'these .two parts fior-ming terminals or electrodesv in .an .electrical circuit which when closed causes the .raising .of Ya pair :of cooperating shearing blades or the vdropping efr-a cloth-rest; Vin this case, the meeting endsof two adjacent-pieces vof `cloth .are joined 1in spaced-r-elation, instead of being lapped or buttedby-stitches which are long 4circuitto linitiate'the suspension of the shearing.

Sui-table time-delay devices of conventional -form fare fused to ladjust the `time of occurrence of the actual-stopping -of the shearing tothe speed of travel ofitne rc'loth .=sothat the' detector means just Adescribed can be located-fat `any convenient .interval 'ingadvance eitheshearing point. y

preferredform empioyingvthe second fof 'the two methods referred to uses thesame typo :of

.electrical `circuit to cause :the-suspension of the shearing, ibut inserts iin for; .applies Eto-the Vcloth an: electrical conductor Lin fthe? form fof. a metallic thre'ador'zwire, of soft and yielding nature such as tinsel, or even fine copper or aluminum or lead wire, which will not endanger the knives, but which when simultaneously engaged by electrodes or terminals of the circuit located at opposite surfaces of the cloth will close the circuit and transmit the desired impulse suspending the shearing. Either the described type of feeler and platen, or any other preferred type of electrodes simultaneously engaging opposite surfaces of the cloth at the same point in its length can be employed with the metallic threads, and when such thread containing a tinsel strand is used to join the adjacent ends of two successive pieces of cloth the ordinary lapped seam can of course be used. Additionally, the metallic element or stitching can be inserted at any point in the length of the cloth apart from the seam and in proper spaced relation therefrom with regard to the speed of travel of the cloth and the lag in operation of the shearing-suspending devices so as to obviate the need for other time-delay devices and itself serve to time the suspension to accord with the arrival of the seam at the shearing point. Likewise, an extension of the metallic stitching Ilengthwise of the cloth can be used to time the d duration of the suspension of the shearing, by continuing the flow of current through the electrodes and the circuit for any length of time desired to afford ample clearance of the seam by the knives.

Other objects of the invention, and the manner of their attainment, are Set forth in the following description.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section; of one stage of a multiple cloth shearing machine taken transversely of the shearing blades, with all parts not immediately concerned with the invention omitted, showing. blade-lifting devices and an electric detecting circuit and actuating devices for the blade-lifting devices.

Fig. 2 is a view of the feeler-roll of Fig. 1 which forms one terminal of the electric detector circuit actuating the blade-lifting mechanism of such figure, viewed from the left of Fig. 1, and showing also the seaming together of two adjacentrpieces of cloth in spaced relation.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative form of feeler device lfor use in the construction shown'in Fig. 1.

guiding and shearing instrumentalities of a standard and well known Parks & Woolson cloth shearing machine as is necessary for a complete understanding of the application of the invention thereto, most of. the framework, guides, drives, and other familiar parts of the machine concerned with the invention being omitted with the understanding thatthey are or may be as usual.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the cloth I travels y in the direction indicated by the arrows between draft roll 3 and guide rolls 5, thence around an arc of one feeler roll 'I comprising a feature of the invention, past guide rolls 9, over beam II, and thence over the cloth rest I3, at the apex of which the shearing is effected by rotary helical blade I5 and cooperating ledger blade I'I. Both blades are carried as usual by a rocking supporting structure having brackets I9 at each side of the machine, such structure with the knives borne thereby being pivotally mounted on shaft 2l which is mounted for rocking movement in journal-boxes 22 adjustable up or down on frame 3l. This pivotal mounting provides for rocking movement of the supporting structure to bring the blades into or out of shearing engagement with the cloth as the latter passes around the acute angle of the rest I3. Thereafter the cloth passes down under guide roll 23 and onward to further processing, in many instances to a second or third shearing in the case of a multiple shear, in which event the devices and arrangements of Fig. l are in general duplicated one or more times in the same machine.

In accordance with the invention, at the point where the cloth is supported at one of its surfaces by a substantial arc offeeler roll 1, which latter is driven by the cloth, the opposite surface is subjected to contact with a second cooperating feeler device in the form of a roll 25 rotating on journals '2l suitably mounted in bearings 29 xed on frame 3I of the machine, and clothed at spaced points in its length with brush-like sections 33 made of card clothing applied directly to the metallic surface of the roll so that the butts of the wires at the inner surface of the backing 35 arein perfect electrical contact with the roll. Ordinarily,'it is adequate to use two narrow rings of card clothing spaced respectively as shown about 1A; of the way in from the location of the selvages of the widest cloth which the machine will shear, this arrangement taking care of any tolerable degree of bowing or slantng of the seam. Roll 25 is driven from any desired going part of the cloth shear so that the points of the wires 39 of the wire-clothed rings 33 fixed thereon travel in the same direction as the cloth at the point of contact of the wires with the cloth, and at a slightly faster speed than the cloth. Since the wires are bent to rake backward reversely to the direction of rotation at an angle of around 45, and such angle is rendered even more acute through pressure of the wires against the cloth, their points brush over the surface of the cloth with relative motion thereto in the direction of travel of the cloth and without penetrating through the cloth so long as the latter remains continuous and unbroken in its extent.

In order to employ this type of feeler device, the adjacent ends of two successive pieces or lengths of cloth being shorn in the machine are joined together as shown in Fig. 2 in separate and spaced-apart relation, by long, loose stitches 4I extending mainly lengthwiseof the cloth so that a space.43 of at least 1/8 or preferably more is left between the end of one piece of Ycloth and the beginning of the next piece. Thus, so long as the cloth passing between and engaged bythe roll or platen 'I at one surface andthe .wire rings or brushes 33 at the other surface remains whole and unbroken in its extent the wires 39 are held out of contact with rollY l, but when the seam joining two successive' pieces of cloth and made as described arrives between the two feeler rolls the tips of the wires 39vwill reach through the stitches 4I and gap 43 and make quick but certanmcontact with roll'l.

assiette The detector rolls r'I andV 25 are mounted in bearings which are insulated electrically from the machine frame, and these rolls form the terminals or electrodes of an electrical circuity actuating the mechanically voperated blade-lifting devices -of the cloth shear. Thus, a wire l5 connects a source 4l of low-voltage electrical current with Vroll the current passing by wire 49 to'adelayed-action relay 5i and thence through Wire 53 to the feeler roll 25, so that when this circuit' is 4closed by the entry of lthe points of wires `S9 Vbetweenifhe end of onepiece of cloth andthe beginning of the next piece via the space '43 left between `them vso as to make contact with roll'l, the relay 5l will be actuated to transmit a more powerful current from a source 55 to a v'solenoid 57 by wayof leads 59. p

When the solenoid isfenergized, its armature `6I moves in 1a clockwise direction 'an `arm 'S3 piv- 'o'tally connected thereto and comprising the control member or a power take-olf device enclosed in housing S5 and turning no part 'of the present invention, sinceitis the subject of U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,305,255 granted on Dec. 15, i942, `to John W. Hogue, to which reference may be hadfor a full understanding of its construction and operation. For present purposes it is suflcient vto 'state that a rotating element continuously driven by a going part of the machine acts to rock a member 6l counterclockwise 'from its full line position to its dotted line position, and to hold it in such latter position so long as arm' is held over in its right-hand position Yby armature Ei. Thereby a link '69, pivotally connected at 7H with member 6l with capacity for adjustment by e means of slot 73, is pulled downwardly to rock the `entire assembly comprising'blades l5 and l'l and their supporting members and brackets I9, around center 2l as a pivot. This raises the blades l5 and Il away from the vcloth-rest 3 and the cloth passing over the acute edge thereof, thus suspending the shearing operation .and also permitting the seam to-pass over the clothrest without coming into range ofthe blades to be cut apart thereby or to cause any damage to the'rapidly rotatingblade l5., Incidentally, itis -to be noted that the avoidance of the lapping of the fabric and of the `consequentdoubling-of the thickness of the cloth at the seam makes it possible to avoid cutting the seam with a much smaller lift of the blades than heretofore, so'that the shearing can be continued andl resumed closer to the seam than in prior structures; also, that in case the rotary knife should engage the seam through incorrect setting of the time-delay control, Vit would shear through the slight resistance of the threads without damage to itself, Vinstead of being broken as frequently voccurred upon encountering the far greater resistance of va'double thickness of the 'fabric itself such as is presented bythe .lapped "seam used heretofore.

Link 89 is pivotally connected with the blade support by means of the reduced eccentrically disposed extremity 'l of a pin 'il held in a clamping bracket 'I9 iiXed to bracket i9. Thus, a coarse 'adjustment of the eiective length of the link 69 -is made by fixing pivot-bolt 'Il at a suitable point in the length of slot 73, and thereafter -a ne adjustment'is obtained by varying the angular'posi- 'tion of Vpin 7'! in bracket 79, such adjustment being retained by tightening a clamping screwl 83.

Thus Vthe movement of rocking arm f'l is transmitted to the blade-carrying frame to move the later and lift the blades inproperly timed relation.

The blade-carryingfra-me of which brackets i9 form parts returns to its working position under the force of gravi-ty, the adjustment -o the degree of approach of the blades to the clothrest -I 3 and consequently of the closeness of shearing effected on the cloth being controlled as in prior instances by the engagement of portions in connection with brackets VI9 with 'the heads of screws 2313. These screws Mare fixed in plungers 86 sliding in guide-Ways in housing-s 88 and butting Vagainst cams 96 -iixed on opposite ends of a transverse shaft 52 whose an gula-r position is determined in 'known manner by a wormfgear (not shown) thereon engaging with a worm manipulated by hand through an Vindicating dial mounted on its shaft.

Time-delay devices rare incorporated in relay 5i, to delay the actual lifting of the blades until the seam detected when passing between rolls -1 and 25 shall have arrived within an inch or two of the angle of cloth-rest 13. Adgustment of this delay to the speed of travel of the cloth is effected by the setting ofrotatable control button 85 on the outside of relay 5i. Likewise, provisionV is mad-e in relay 5l for varying 4the duration of the time the circuit is held Aclosed by the relay, so as to adjustthe length of the Vinterval during which the blades are out of shea-ring engagement with the cloth, and hence 'thelength of cloth left unshorn at the seam; also, for receiving a second impulse from sections 83 in case of a bowed or diagonal seam, while in process of carrying out the rst Yimpulse, s0 that the blades will clear the Ylagging 'parts -oi the seam.

It is not necessary under all conditions to providing a rotating VVfeeler roll having feeler wires which slant backwardly while traveling Iforwardly with the cloth and at `a Vfaster speed than the latter. Under certain conditions, fand with many fabrics, a stationary comb 8'?! such as shown in Fig. 3 is substituted Yin 'the structure shown in Fig. l for the 'driven roll 25 with its Vwire-clothed section 33. 'This comb comprises a plurality of fine Ywire teeth or fingers B mounted in spaced and parallel relation along and in electrical connection with a metallicbacking member Si mounted in insulated relation lin the frame after the manner of described'lroll 25, and connected to wire 53 to form one vterminal of the circuit vpreviously described.Y The wire fingers 89 have their extremities bent in toward the opposing roll or platen l, and bea-r yieldingly against the surface of the traveling cloth where the latter is supported by roll 1, so that Awhen the seam joining the spaced of the two successive pieces of cloth passes between these two terminals the tips of one off more wires will reach through the space purposely left between the two pieces of cloth and make contact with roll 'i to close "the circuit 'and actuate the blade-lifting devices -as Ybefore described to suspend the shearing. l

An embodiment of an alternative form of the invention in Vwhich an element attached to or incorporated in the cloth is 'utilized to close the circuit previously described which 4actuates the blade-lifting devices, is shown in Figs. 'f4 and 5. In this instance, the seam 93 between successive pieces of cloth `is of the usuallapped type, but is stitched with a thread 95 which incorporates in its make-up one or more strands of tinsel or Vother metallic 'and hence electroconducting material. Since this thread 'in forming theseam naturally 'extends through the Tabto the other, it serves to close the circuit momentarily between two electrodes or terminals simultaneously engaging the same point in the length of the fabric from opposite sides, or at different points in the width of the fabric at the same side, or at diirerent points in the length of the fabric from either or both sides. Hence, when the seam is formed with this electro-conducting thread, one or more simple Vmetallic feeler-fingers 91 are substituted for feeler roll 25 or comb 81 in the structure of Fig. 1, bearing lightly against one surface of the traveling cloth I at a point or pointswhere it is supported by roll 1 as before. The finger or iingers 91 are mounted on a metallic supporting bar 98 held in insulated supports in the machine frame, the bar being connected with lead 53 as were the corresponding two prior described feelers 25 and 81. When any part of the metallic thread 95 passes between and is simultaneously engaged l by a finger 91 and roll 1 the circuit is closed to actuate the blade-lifting mechanism and suspend the shearing as described hereinbefore.

As is obvious, stitching with this metal-bearing, electro-conducting thread can be inserted in the fabric at any point in its length, to actuate the detecting and blade-lifting devices as desired. Hence, with a known speed of travel of the cloth and a known lag in the lifting of the blades after the solenoid 51 or other lifting devices are set in motion, it is easily possible to insert the electro-conductive stitching at, the proper distance lengthwise of the fabric from any seam of any ordinary construction and stitched with regular, non-conductirg thread, so as thus to time the suspension of the shearing to avoid cutting the seam; and by extending the stitching with metallic thread lengthwise of the fabric to continue the energizing of the actuating circuit so as to hold the blades lifted for any desired duration of travel needed to clear the seam, or for other purposes.

In Fig. 6 is shown a direct-acting structure in which the combined electric `and mechanical blade-lifting devicesof Fig. 1 are replaced by a single powerful solenoid connected into the circuit which includes the wires 50 of Fig.V 1 in place of the small solenoid 51 thereof. The armature |03 of solenoid |0| is pivotally connected at with a link |01 which is pivotally connected to the extremity of eccentric pin 11 of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the rest of the structure being identical with that described and operating in the same manner to rock the two blades and their supporting structure about pivot 2| to lift the blades and suspend the shearing. As before, the movement of the link |01 in the direction returning the blades to shearing position is limited by screw 84 in the end of plunger 88. The same rotation of adjusting pin 11 will control the effective K length of link |01.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modications may be made .therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims'. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but

What I do claim is: l. In a cloth shear, in combination, means propelling, guiding, and shearing the cloth, detecting ,means adapted to enter between the end of one piece of cloth and the beginning of the next piece attached thereto, and means suspending the 4shearing operation in response to such entry of the detecting means between the two pieces of cloth.

2. In a cloth shear, in combination, means pro- -pelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, deg tecting means entering between the ,end of one piece of cloth and the beginning of the next succeeding piece connected thereto, and means controlled by the detecting means moving the shearing means out of shearing relation with the cloth as the said ends pass the shearing means.

3. In a cloth shear, in combination, means propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, de-

vices moving the shearing means out of and into shearing relation to the cloth, and detecting means bearing against a surface ofthe cloth and actuating such devices to move the shearing means out of shearing relation after such detecting means is allowed to pass through the plane of travel of the cloth by reason of an interruption of the continuity of the cloth.

4. In a cloth shear, in combination, means propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices moving the shearing means out of and into shearing relation to the cloth, feeler means pressing against one surface of the cloth, and a member located at the other surface of the cloth engaged by the feeler means when the continuity of the intervening cloth is interrupted, such engagement causing the actuation of the devices for moving the shearing means out of shearing'relation.

5. In a cloth shear, in combination, means propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices moving the shearing means out of and into shearing'relation to the cloth, feeler means pressing against one surface of the cloth, a member located at the other surface of the cloth engaged by the feeler means when the continuity of the intervening cloth is interrupted, and an electrical circuit closed by such engagement to actuate the devices for moving the shearing means out of shearing relation.

6. In a cloth shear, in combination, means propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means,'de vices moving the shearing means out of and into shearing relation with the cloth, and electricalcircuit-closing means operating to transmit an actuating impulse to the devices moving k'the shearing means out of shearing relation when the end of a piece of cloth being shorn and attached in spaced relation to the beginning of a following piece of cloth passes by the circuit-closing means to create a gap in the continuity of the cloth bringing the circuit-closing means into action.

'1. In a cloth shear, in combination, means propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices moving the shearing means out of and into shearing relation with the cloth, an electrical circuit actuating the moving devices for the shearing means, and means transmitting an electrical current in a course intersecting the path of travel of the cloth when the end of the latter passes by such transmitting means.V

8. In a cloth shear, in combinatiom'rneans propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices suspending the shearing action of the shearing means, an electrical circuit actuating the suspending devices when closed and normally held open bythe intervening cloth, and means brought into operation by the traveling cloth to clo'se the circuit at a predetermined point in the travel of the cloth.

9. In a cloth shear, in combination, means fo propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means shearing the cloth, devices suspending the shearing action of such shearing means, an electrical circuit actuating such devices to suspend the shearing when closed, and including conducting elements at opposite surfaces of the traveling cloth and intermediate the latters width, and means brought into action by the traveling cloth at a predetermined point in its travel to complete an electrical connection between the said elements through the path of travel of the cloth and thus to close the circuit. y

10. In a cloth shear, in combination, means for propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices suspending the shearing action of such shearing means, an electrical circuit actuating such devices to suspend the shearing when closed, and including opposed rolls located respectively at opposite surfaces of the cloth, and means brought into action by the traveling cloth to complete an electrical connection between the two rolls and thus to close the circuit.

11. In a cloth shear, in combination, means for propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices suspending the shearing action of such shearing means, an electrical circuit actuating such devices to suspend the shearing when closed, and including a conducting surface at one face of the cloth, and yielding contact members bearing against the other face of the cloth and making contact with the conducting surface to close the circuit when the end of the cloth passes from between the surface and one or more of the contact members.

12. In a cloth shear, in combination, means for propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices suspending the shearing action of such shearing means, an electrical circuit actuating such devices to suspend the shearing when closed, a roll bearing against one surface of the cloth, a second roll having resilient wires projecting from its surface in wiping contact with the other surface of the cloth at the point of contact of the cloth with the rst roll, and means driving the second roll at a speed causing the wires to move over the surface of the cloth in the direction of travel of the cloth, the two rolls and the wires comprising parts of the electrical circuit and closing such circuit to suspend the shearing when a break in the continuity of the cloth permits the wires on the second roll `to make contact with the rst roll.

13. In the mechanical shearing of cloth, the method of detecting the approach of the junction of successive pieces of cloth which includes joining the ends of adjacent pieces of cloth in spaced and non-overlapping relation by loose stitches, and detecting the break in the continuity of the cloth resulting from such spaced relation.

14. In the mechanical shearing of cloth, the method of detecting the approach of the junction of successive pieces of cloth which includes the insertion of electrically conducting elements in the seam joining such successive pieces and the employment of such elements to close an electrical detecting circuit normally held open by the intervening non-conducting cloth as the seam approaches the shearing point.

l5. In a cloth shear, in combination, means for propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices suspending the shearing action of such shearing means, an electrical circuit actuating such devices to suspend the shearing when closed, and having terminals respectively located at opposite surfaces of the cloth, and electrical conducting means borne by the cloth and joining such terminals electrically to close the circuit as such means passes between the terminals.

16. In a cloth shear, the combination of a movable support, a rotary shear member mounted thereon and normally maintained in operative shearing position by the movable support, a solenoid impelling the support and thus the shear `V member out of shearing position, and circuitclosing means eecting the energizing of the solenoid for this purpose, such circuit-closing means normally held open by the intervention of the cloth and extending through the path of travel of the cloth to close the circuit when the cloth ceases to intervene.

17. In a cloth shear, in combination, means for propelling and guiding the cloth, shearing means, devices suspending the shearing action of the shearing means, an electrical circuit actuating such devices to suspend the shearing when closed, and metallic thread stitched through the cloth and closing the circuit.

18. In the mechanical shearing of cloth, the method of detecting the approach of the junction of successive pieces of cloth to the shearing devices which includes the step of transmitting an impulse across the path of travel of the cloth as the tail end of a piece of cloth or a portion at a predetermined distance from such end passes the detecting point.

19. In the mechanical shearing of cloth, the method of passing the seams uniting successive pieces of cloth past the shearing devices without injury which includes the steps of connecting the successive pieces of cloth to be sheared end to end in spaced relation, and transmitting an impulse suspending the shearing operation across the path of the cloth via the space left at the tail end of a given piece after the entire piece has passed.

20. In a cloth shear, in combination, means propelling, guiding, and shearing a web of cloth composed of successive pieces united end to end by seams and having apertures in predetermined relation to such seams, means detecting such apertures and transmitting an impulse-therethrough, and means actuated by such impulse suspending the shearing action.

WILFRED N. HADLEY. 

